The present invention relates to a CODEC-driven touch screen video conferencing control system. In the prior art, video conferencing systems customarily include a coder and decoder described as the “CODEC” which performs the functions of compaction of video signals to a volume that can be transmitted, and de-compaction of video signals to a volume that can be displayed. Output of the CODEC typically determines the look and feel of the display screens or monitors of the video conferencing system.
Known video conferencing systems generally fall into two categories. In a first category, control is carried out through the use of a “dumb” handheld remote control device. Other video conferencing systems may also utilize a touch screen entry and display device backed by an appliance such as a personal computer that has intelligence and is capable of being programmed. In the former case, where a “dumb” handheld remote control device is employed, the remote control device typically has buttons that, when depressed, transmit command codes or information in the form of numbers and letters, via infra-red methodology to a CODEC. Such remote control devices do not have intelligence and are only able to perform actions specifically dictated as a result of depression of specified buttons.
In the latter type of prior art video conferencing system, a touch screen is used for control, but the touch screen is typically an after-market product that has its own unique screen programming that does not relate to the screen programming provided by the video conferencing device manufacturer. Such touch screen control systems are driven by programs that reside in an intelligent appliance such as a personal computer. They present touch screen control screens of their own creation and design rather than those of the manufacturer of the video conferencing system. As a result, there is no actual or implied consistency from system to system because the programmer of the touch screen device is free to implement control screens in any way or manner he or she chooses without regard to the look and feel of the video conferencing system on which the touch screen is operating. Additionally, in such installations, the regions on the touch screen corresponding to functions of the manufacturer's controls are typically displayed on one of the system monitors as well, although sometimes the prior art touch screen is designed to suppress those control displays.
FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a touch control screen, which is generally designated by the reference numeral 1, created for a prior art video conferencing system. In the type of system illustrated in FIG. 2, the look and feel of the screen display of the video conferencing system manufacturer is not captured or duplicated. Rather, the video conferencing system screen is essentially re-programmed to perform functions in a manner, sequence and form chosen by the individual programmer of the touch control screen. In the prior art system shown in FIG. 1, control functions may be displayed on the user viewed screen or video conferencing monitor, although, as explained above, they are sometimes suppressed. Additionally, operation of the prior art system requires that a cursor on the video conferencing screen be moved to an appropriate area using the directional arrows 2 shown, whereupon an enter button 3 is depressed to control resultant functions.
It would be desirable to develop a control system for a video conferencing system that would be compatible with the video conferencing system and act upon the video conferencing system's pre-programmed screen look and feel to enhance compatibility and effectiveness of operation. It is with this thought in mind that the present invention was developed.